Trip Report: Taking Your Airplane To Watch A Movie

Guest Editorial written by Andrea Höltken — On the weekend of May 26/27 we took our Lake Amphibian to the Fly-In Cinema put on by the folks of Texel Airport in the Netherlands. Approximately 70 aircraft, mostly of Dutch and German registry had flown in for the event to watch a movie and the number of young folks in attendance was definitely encouraging and a welcome surprise for us.

Watching “American Made” from the Lake. Image: Andrea Höltken

For my husband and me this was a wonderful opportunity to fully enjoy the romance and beauty that only small aircraft flying affords. We are based 109 NM southeast at the Rheine Eschendorf Airport in Germany, so here was a perfect excuse to pack the tent into the plane and fly away to watch a movie.

Cruising towards the Netherlands – Image courtesy of Michael Brehmer.

Our Dutch friends in Texel shine with a nice airport, helpful controllers, a restaurant and even a museum. Located centrally everything you may need is just 5 kilometers away and given that the Dutch are biking addicts, its cool to see that there are always 30 bicycles available for rent at just 5 Euros per day.

Quality Time Together

Beautiful Sunset in Texel

The landing fees (unfortunately obligatory in most of Europe), together with parking and camping fee was a reasonable 25 Euros per aircraft and we were served dinner and breakfast for another 23 Euros per person. A bit different from home is the generally stronger wind that rules close to the North Sea. The 20 knots on the nose are a complete non- event in the Lake, but having that same wind on the nose while riding a bicycle to the beach isn’t quite that great or motivating.

Relaxation Aviatrix Style

From Left: Malte, Cedric and Michael

Outdoorcinema.nl is the company that brought the inflatable screen, but due to issues with getting a permit to use the sound system, sound was instead transmitted via Bluetooth headphones. Many of the guests had brought camping chairs and sat closer to the screen. Still, some of us roughed it took the opportunity to watch the movie from inside or on top of our airplanes.

Images: Andrea Höltken

cofImages: Andrea Höltken

Images: Andrea Höltken

Its a rare privilege to be able to take your airplane to a movie theater where it can watch a movie with airplanes in it! We would like to think that our LA4 enjoyed “American Made” too – featuring Barry Seal (played by Tom Cruise), who started working for a drug cartel with a Piper Aerostar. Other noteworthy airplanes in attendance at this show was a Stearman, a Stampe SV4, an Europa Tri-Gear, a Cessna 170 as well as a Piper Pacer.

Images: Andrea Höltken

Images: Andrea Höltken

Images: Andrea Höltken

We returned on Sunday to drop by at the Ganderkesee Airfair 2019, where we were intercepted by met with fellow members of the German Coast Guard Association, enjoyed the remaining good weather before rushing back to Rheine Eschendorf due to inbound weather.

Andrea Höltken started flying in 2012 and gained her EASA PPL-(A) in 2013. She got her Seaplane Rating in 2017. Having flown 22 different types of aircraft, the Lake Amphibian is one of her favorites. Andread has already accumulated nearly 300 hours of flight experience and hopes to keep flying more different types. She serves as President of the Deutsche Küstenwache e.V.You may reach her via Email or meet her at events all over the place, as the couple is airborne and utilizing airplanes whenever the opportunity to burn some AVgas arises.